Heartfelt Apology
by Xx.LoveIsABlessing.xX
Summary: #58 in the 100 Themes Challenge


**#58 : Heartfelt Apology**

"Did you hear what happened to Ashley?" Soraya Martin asked her best friend, Amy Fleming, as the two eighteen year olds mucked stalls in one of Heartland's barns.

Amy frowned, pushing a strand of her light brown hair out of her face, "Now, what happened to her? Did she finally find a heart?"

Soraya laughed, "I wish. No, apparently that boy that she was going out with tried to kill her last weekend."

Amy looked up in alarm, all playfulness gone from her expression, "What?"

"Yeah. He had her at gunpoint. Apparently he beat her pretty good when he found out she'd cheated on him." Soraya said seriously, a frown marring her pretty features.

"Is Ashley okay?" Amy asked.

Soraya shrugged, "Last I heard she was being rushed to the hospital. I'm sure she's fine and soon enough she'll be out preying on some other poor guy. You know Ashley, she'll turn this into an 'oh pity me' story."

Amy grimaced, "Surely this will have some kind of effect on her? I mean, almost being killed is a big thing."

"Yeah, but this is Ashley we're talking about." Soraya pointed out to Amy.

She sighed, "I know, but surely not even Ashley could stay the same after something like this."

"After something like what?"

Both girls looked up to see Ty and Ben walking into the barn, Ty leading a young mare named Mystery who had come to Heartland to be gentled and trained for riding. Ben carried a saddle and bridle in his arms.

"Apparently Ashley's boyfriend tried to kill her last weekend after he found out she'd cheated on him." Soraya informed the two boys and their eyes widened in alarm.

"Are you serious?" Ben asked.

"That's the story that's going around town." Soraya said, nodding.

"Is she alright?" Ty asked.

"They said she was rushed to the hospital but I'm figuring she'll be fine." Soraya said with a shrug.

"I wonder what she'll have learned from something like that." Ty said as he lead Mystery to her stall a few stalls down.

"She might not have learned anything. From what you guys have told me, and what I've seen myself, she's a pretty bad person." Ben commented as he walked into the tack room to put up the tack.

"Ya never know, even someone like Ashley has to be affected by something like this." Ty called from Mystery's stall. As if agreeing with him, the young mare nickered.

Ben was grinning as he came out of the tack room, "So Mystery thinks so too?"

Ty laughed as he let himself out of the stall, "Appartently."

"Who did she cheat on him with?" Amy asked Soraya.

Soraya shrugged, "Some dude at a show she went to."

"So it was a one night thing?" Ben asked.

"Maybe. Or a one night every show kinda thing." Soraya said with a look of disgust coming to her face.

"That is true." Ty said quietly.

"Hopefully this will teach her to treat people better." Amy said as she finished with the stall she was mucking. She exitted the stall and dusted hay off of her jeans.

"Hey, Ames, were we expecting anyone today?" Ty asked suddenly, looking out of the barn door.

"No, why?" Amy asked, coming to stand beside him and raising an eyebrow at the shiny red car that was pulling up Heartland's drive, "Soraya, isn't that Ashley's new car?"

"Let me see," Soraya came to stand beside them and made a face, "It sure is."

She would be sure to know because it was a car that she herself had wanted but Ashley had gotten first. The blonde had made sure to rub it in Soraya's face that she'd gotten the car first.

"What's she doing here?" Ben wondered as he joined them at the door. They watched as Ashley climbed out of the driver's side of the car, a pair of large dark sunglasses over her eyes.

"We may as well find out." Amy said with a sigh and stepped out of the barn. Ashley saw her and the others and started towards them, dressed in a pair of jeans and flip flops with a black t-shirt that was loose on her slim figure.

"That's not her usual style." Soraya muttered as she got closer. Amy only hummed in agreement before Ashley reached them.

"Hi Ashley. What are you doing here?" Amy asked cautiously.

Ashley actually looked nervous, wringing her hands together, "I was hoping to talk to you, Amy. Soraya, I need to talk to you too, if you'd let me. You and Ben too, Ty." She said.

Amy and Soraya exchanged glances before Soraya said, "We're listening."

"I wanted to say I'm sorry for all that I've ever done before. I know that in the past I've been horrible to all of you and I'm so sorry, I really am. Please forgive me, give me a second chance?" Ashley asked, slipping off her glasses so they could see her glasses.

Their eyes widened at the dark bruises around her eyes. She really had been beaten badly. Amy took a second to look Ashley over.

Her skin was pale and bruised all over. She looked washed out, not an ounce of make up on her. The way she was standing reminded Amy of a scared horse, the way she looked ready to bolt at any moment.

Amy then searched Ashley's green eyes and swallowed at the sincerity she saw in them, "You really are sorry, aren't you, Ashley?"

Ashley nodded, "I swear I am. After last weekend, I-I want to change myself, I want to be a better person."

"You really did learn from that then?" Soraya asked cautiously.

"Yes. I've never been so scared in all my life. I really thought I w-was going to die." Ashley said, a tear slipping from her eye to trail down her pale cheek.

Amy and Soraya looked at one another and glanced at the boys. They both looked back at the girls uncertainly. Amy swallowed.

"How can we be sure that you won't revert back after a little while?" Amy asked.

Ashley gave a shaky, almost hysteric, laugh, "Trust me, I'll never be the way I was before again. That girl died when Jason pointed that gun at her head."

Soraya gasped in alarm and Amy's eyes widened in shock.

"I don't want to be like that anymore, Amy. I swear. I was so horrible before, I had plenty of time to think about that in the hospital. I-I did Jason wrong, I know I did. Please, can you help me like you help the horses? I mean, lets face it, I've acted close enough to an animal before." Ashley said with a little laugh, more tears sliding down her face.

Amy bit her lower lip and stepped forward, offering Ashley her hand. The blonde looked at her hopefully.

"I forgive you, Ashley, and I hope that we can get alone better in the future." Amy said.

Ashley smiled at her gratefully, "Thank you, so very much." She said and took Amy's hand.

Soraya sighed, "I forgive you, too. But you better not revert back on us."

"I won't. I promise I won't." Ashley said, relieved.

"If the girls can forgive you, then I can too." Ty said honestly.

"Me too." Ben said with a shrug.

"Thank you, thank you all so much." Ashley sniffled and wiped at her eyes with her arm. She looked around Heartland, "Is there anything I can do to help? I thought you were working when I pulled up."

"Well, we still have a few stalls to clean out." Amy said slowly.

"Which ones? I can help." Ashley asked, her newfound eagerness to help throwing Amy off slightly. She smiled at Ashley softly.

"Are you sure, Ashley? You're hardly dressed to muck stalls." Amy said.

"Clothes can be washed." Was Ashley's answer and it earned her grins of approval and timid acceptance.

"Alright then, right this way and you can help us with some barn chores." Amy said, leading Ashley down to the barn.

"Well, folks, we have just witnessed a miracle." Ben said as he and Ty and Soraya hung back a little bit.

"Tell me about it." Soraya said with a laugh as they started after the two girls.


End file.
